Are Dried Apricots Safe for Dogs to Eat?
Generally speaking, yes dried apricots are safe for dogs to eat, but that doesn’t mean they should eat lots of them.
A chopped dried apricot on occasion won’t do any harm and they contain lots of dog-friendly nutrients, but the pit (stone), leaves, and stem are toxic and dried apricots can be sweetened with sugar or xylitol, so there are risks.
More about the specific dangers later on.
Dried apricots are fresh apricots that have been dried out using either sunshine or sulfur dioxide. You can tell the difference because sulfur dioxide produces bright vivid fruit whereas sun drying creates dark brown fruits.
Apricots are native to the Chinese-Russian border and were spread across Europe by the Roman Empire. They were a valuable commodity on the central Asian silk road for centuries because dried apricots could be transported for a long period of time without spoiling.
Dried apricots featured in many medieval European recipes and were a real treat at Christmas time in sweet puddings and pies. Apricots spread to the United States in the 1700s when the first settlers arrived and they were very easy to grow in the sunshine states. Today, California is a major apricot producer.
The healthiest apricots are sun-dried organically grown versions that are free from sweeteners, but all dried apricots contain the following nutrients:
As well as these essential nutrients apricots are packed with fiber. You may know how fibrous dried apricots are if you’ve overindulged!
They have been used medicinally to relieve constipation for millennia and because they are quicker and less messy to eat than fresh apricots, many of us have been caught out! The same goes for your pooch. All dogs are different, but more than one a day for large breeds or half for small breeds is asking for trouble.
Dried apricots are healthy, but there are some risks to consider:
Plain dried apricots won’t usually cause an issue, but some are sweetened and this is a problem. Sugar causes dental decay and adds unnecessary pounds to your dog’s waistline. Because dry apricots are smaller than fresh ones it’s much easier to eat more and before you know it, your dog has eaten far too much sugar.
Another issue is the potential for xylitol. This artificial sweetener is highly toxic to dogs because it can cause hypoglycemia. In some cases xylitol (in stolen chewing gum) has killed dogs.
There are studies suggesting sulfur dioxide is bad for dogs and can cause neurological damage. Generally speaking, the brighter a dried apricot is, the more sulfur dioxide has been used to dry it. Organic dried apricots are a better choice because they’re usually sun dried without any preservative, but they are difficult to find unless you’re near a health food store.
Dried apricots are chewy (that’s the best bit!) but chewy foods aren’t a good idea for dogs, especially if they snatch and gulp. A whole dried apricot could cause choking or an intestinal blockage. Smaller breeds are more at risk, but it’s best to cut up a dried aprcot before feeding it to any sized pooch. It makes it last longer too, so your dog thinks they are getting more!
We’ve already seen dried apricots are full of fiber, which is important for healthy bowels, but in excess it can cause an upset stomach. Flatulence, diarrhea, and vomiting are distressing for dogs and messy to clear up. If an upset occurs after eating too many apricots, offer plenty of fresh water and feed them small regular meals of plain chicken or turkey with rice to help firm up their stools.
On the flip side, if your dog is constipated, a few apricots may get things going and avoid a vet trip!
It’s rare with dried apricots because the leaves and stone (pit) are removed, but there is a risk of cyanide poisoning if your dog eats an apricot’s leaves, stem or pit.
The symptoms of cyanide poisoning include panting, dilated pupils, tremors, and collapse because cyanide lowers the body’s ability to use oxygen. |It’s a medical emergency that can occur within 15-20 minutes of ingesting the poison, so always call a vet right away if your dog eats an apricot pit.
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It’s not uncommon to want to spoil your dog by sharing table scraps or your favorite people food snack instead of a dog treat. After all, if it is safe for you to eat, it must be OK for your dog to eat, right? Not necessarily. While many people foods are perfectly safe for dogs, some are very unhealthy and downright dangerous, so it’s critical to learn which fruits and vegetables dogs can eat.
Dogs digest foods differently than humans do, and eating the wrong foods can lead dogs to long-term health problems and, in extreme cases, even death. As omnivores, dogs have no real need for fruits or vegetables as part of their diet, but an occasional fruit or veggie as a treat is OK. Fresh dog foods also pre-portion fresh veggies into meals. Read on to find out which fruits and vegetables are OK for sharing in moderation and which should be avoided.
Never feed your dog mixed dried fruits
Although dried apricots are not toxic to dogs, other dried fruits are. Grapes are toxic and when they’re dried out they become sultanas or raisins. Currants also have the potential to poison Lassie, and the regular pairing of dried fruits with toxic macademia nuts is another hazard.
It’s best to avoid giving any dried fruit, nut, or trail mix combination to a dog because it’s highly likely to contain at least one of these toxic ingredients.
Fruit Dogs CAN or CAN’T EAT?
Dried apricots are a quick, nutritious snack for humans on the go, but just because they’re good for us it doesn’t automatically mean they’re good for our canine friends too. Dogs can eat many different types of fruit, but can dogs eat dried apricots?
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits and risks of dried apricots and find out whether Rover can safely enjoy this snack with you.